Beartooth Mountains – Page 2 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Castle Mountain, the Carbon County Montana High Point with Mountaineer Jobe Wymore – Part 1: Island Lake to Two Bits Lake (8-7-20)

Day 3 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming & Montana!

8:05 AM, Island Lake campground off Beartooth Hwy No. 212 – Jobe Wymore was early, 55 minutes early. Even so, despite waiting an hour for a pilot car to get her through road construction, Lupe had beaten him to Island Lake. Only by 10 minutes, though. It was super seeing Jobe again for the first time since November, 2018! Great things were in the works!

Turned out Jobe had already been on an adventure. Yesterday he’d climbed Mount Wood (12,660 ft.) with another friend, an opportunity that had sort of popped up out of the blue. In a rush, Jobe had thrown everything into his Rubicon, driven straight out from Washington State, and trotted up Mount Wood. Or maybe slogged up. Mount Wood was not for the faint-hearted – more than 6,000 feet of relentless elevation gain in the rugged Beartooth Mountains.

Congratulations were in order, of course! Jobe and his friend had made it to the top. However, the upshot of it all was that Jobe had tried calling SPHP yesterday, and had left a message when he didn’t get an answer. The message, eminently reasonable, had requested a one day delay to rest up before taking on Castle Mountain (12,612 ft.) with Lupe. Early this morning, when he still hadn’t heard from SPHP, Jobe had driven all the way up from his motel in Red Lodge, keeping to the originally agreed upon schedule.

A guilt trip SPHP richly deserved! Could have checked for messages on the way through Cody yesterday, but 110% confident Jobe would be here, SPHP hadn’t bothered. Poor Jobe! All worn out already, yet committed to setting out on a multi-day backpacking adventure with Loop.

SPHP felt terrible. Well, not terrible, but guilty. Actually, it was more or less a good thing. Jobe was so much stronger and faster than SPHP that the exhausting day on Mount Wood only served to even things up a bit. Come to think of it, this was great news! Jobe wasn’t angry, actually rather cheerful and matter of fact about it, and now SPHP would stand some chance of not falling incredibly far behind. Jobe’s sad tale was just a friendly reminder that maybe in the future, ya know it might not hurt to check that pesky old flip phone once in a while.

Over at the Island Lake trailhead, Jobe and SPHP chatted during last minute preparations while Lupe sniffed about. Jobe always made SPHP laugh. He had many mountain and other tales to tell, and was always handing out free samples of this or that new product he’d tried and liked. SPHP never did anything different, so Jobe was usually able to conjure up some unimagined miracle.

8:51 AM, Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming – It was on! Jobe Wymore and Lupe stood poised by the shore of Island Lake, ready to start for Castle Mountain. A bluebird morning with a light breeze! Optimism reigned as everyone set out on the Beartooth Highlakes Trail after rock hopping Island Lake’s outlet stream. The trail led N, sticking close to the W shore.

Off to a good start with **Lonesome Mountain** (L) in the distance.

The trail was level or close to it. Island Lake and Night Lake were soon left behind. Jobe expounded upon interesting topics. This was familiar much-loved territory, although Lupe hadn’t been here in years. She was quite happy trotting along sniffing here and there, while listening in on the conversation.

State Line Peak (11,360 ft.), part of the enormous Beartooth Plateau ridge, was nearly always in sight. Lonesome Mountain (11,399 ft.) could often be seen off by itself to the NNW, as well. After Night Lake, the trail passed smaller lakes and crossed a little stream.

Almost before SPHP realized it, a new sign appeared pointing out the R turn to Becker Lake. The sign made things easier than they used to be. When Loop had been here years ago, this turn had been easy to miss.

Passing an unnamed lake N of Night Lake. Photo looks NNE.

**Lonesome Mountain** (L). **State Line Peak** (R). Photo looks NNW.

The new sign with directions to both Beauty and Becker lakes.

The Becker Lake trail passed part of Flake Lake on the R, and a couple of ponds on the L, before descending a small hill to a stream ford between Mutt & Jeff Lakes. The water was a couple of feet deep, but stones and a tiny bushy island made it possible to rock hop the entire thing.

Next came a boulder field that had to be traversed along the NW shore of Jeff Lake, beyond which the trail crossed a soft, damp region before starting up the first significant slope of the day. Gaining nearly 200 feet of elevation, Loop came to a half-dried up tarn in a narrow pass.

Approaching **Jeff Lake**. The short boulder field that must be traversed along the NW shore and the slope leading up to the pass to the Becker Lake region are both visible beyond Loop. Mutt Lake is unseen off the L edge. Photo looks N.

**Jeff Lake** as seen on the way up to the pass. Photo looks SSE.

In the pass near the half dried up tarn. Photo looks NW.

From the pass, the trail headed N staying E of Becker Lake. This region was forested, and at first, since the trail was well above and back from the lake, it wasn’t even in sight. However, the forest soon began to give way to meadows with only scattered stands of conifers. Before long, the American Dingo was getting glimpses of Becker Lake.

Becker Lake was nearly a mile long. By the time Lupe was approaching the N end, the views were really opening up.

Jobe and Loop near **Becker Lake**. Photo looks SW.

Views opened up as the forest began giving way to meadows. Photo looks N.

Approaching the **N end of Becker Lake**. Photo looks NW.

Less than 0.5 mile N of Becker Lake, Lupe entered Montana. Wyoming left behind, the trail went up a valley on the E side of a stream bound for Becker Lake from Albino Lake, which wasn’t in view yet. Wildflowers flourished here, and Lonesome Mountain (11,399 ft.), which Loop had once climbed, was looming large.

**Lonesome Mountain** (Center). Albino Lake is hidden beyond the pass on the R. Photo looks NW.

The S end of Albino Lake was 0.6 mile N of the Montana border. When Lupe, Jobe & SPHP got there, it was necessary to cross the outlet stream. Although the stream was wide, this was no problem at all. The entire stream was full of rocks sticking up above the water. Rock hopping it was a cinch almost anywhere one chose.

Once across the stream, the trail wound over to the W side of Albino Lake, where it turned N again. For more than 0.5 mile, Lupe was in the scenic region between Lonesome Mountain to the W and Albino Lake to the E. Beyond the lake, it was only another 0.25 mile up to Pass 10340. From here, Jasper Lake was now in view.

**Albino Lake**. **Pass 10340** (L). Photo looks NNW.

**Albino Lake** from **Pass 10340**. Photo looks SE.

**Jasper Lake** from **Pass 10340**. The **dark knob** (Center) in the distance, is the end of **Sky Pilot Mountain’s SE ridge**. Photo looks N.

From Pass 10340, the trail headed NW down to a valley between Jasper Lake and Golden Lake. SPHP warned Jobe about the sizable stream flowing down to Golden from Jasper.

Years ago, Lupe had gone beyond Jasper Lake twice. The stream had been so high both times that it had been impossible to rock hop. The first time, Loop and SPHP had wound up fording it near Golden Lake, both getting soaking wet paws in the process. The second time, the whole issue had been avoided by circling around the E side of Jasper Lake where the flow was divided into a number of smaller inlet streams. Worked, but this had been a somewhat tedious route.

Despite having climbed Mount Wood yesterday, Jobe sped on down the trail for a look at the Jasper Lake outlet stream situation himself. Lupe and SPHP trudged after him.

Heh, no worries! Upon reaching the stream, Jobe must have thought SPHP was nuts. Either it was running considerably lower now than when Lupe and SPHP had been here before, or someone had rearranged a bunch of rocks. A nice long string was now conveniently situated for relatively easy rock hopping all the way across. Whatever! Nothing wrong with good news, is there?

*Here’s a glimpse of **Golden Lake**. Part of **Lonesome Mountain** (L).* Photo looks SW.

**Jasper Lake** from partway across the outlet stream. Photo looks NE.

The downstream view. **Lonesome Mountain** (L). Photo looks SW.

Somewhere N of the outlet stream along the W side of Jasper Lake, the trail veered off to the W destined for Arrowhead Lake and myriad other lakes beyond. Never saw exactly where that happened. Didn’t matter. Not the way Lupe and Jobe needed to go.

Castle Mountain (12,612 ft.) was still 5.5 miles NNW as the crow flies. Today’s goal was to get at least as far N as Two Bits Lake, which was only another mile plus from Jasper Lake. Jasper Lake had been a long, but relatively easy march with good trails the whole way and less than 1,000 feet of elevation gain. However, from here on there would be no trails. Ahead was a wilderness of rock.

For the time being, that was no big deal, since Lupe had already been to Two Bits Lake and even Donelson Lake before. Slower going was in the cards, but success was assured at least that far. Loop, Jobe and SPHP pressed on, heading NNW from Jasper Lake toward the last pass before Triskel Lake and Two Bits Lake.

Leaving **Jasper Lake** behind. **Peak 11600** (R of Center). Photo looks SE.

Loop meditating among the Indian Paintbrush while Jobe waits for laggard SPHP. Photo looks NW.

**Jasper Lake** (L) and **Lonesome Mountain** (R). **Pass 10340** (Center). Photo looks SSE.

Progress was actually decent until the Pass 10380 region was reached. Here, avoiding fields of talus as much as possible became the priority. No way to avoid it all. A lot of bouldering went on, with intermittent spurts on better ground keeping it all from getting too discouraging. Staying to the W, several unnamed tarns were bypassed.

The largest and first tarn reached in the **Pass 10380 region**. Photo looks E.

Jobe isn’t a fan of talus. Had to pick his poison here at **Pass 10380**. Photo looks N.

Two smaller tarns just N of **Pass 10380**. Photo looks N.

Once over Pass 10380, the terrain eventually became easier to deal with. Triskel Lake came into view, and everyone headed down that way first. Not quite 4:00 PM yet, but maybe after lugging heavy packs for 7 straight hours this was good enough? Jobe was ready to call it, and Lupe and SPHP sure had no objections.

Approaching **Triskel Lake**, the more distant one on the L. Photo looks WNW.

Where to camp became the question. Wandering N toward higher ground while scouting out the area, the region somewhat closer to Two Bits Lake than Triskel Lake seemed to be the place to be. Jobe assembled his tent before deciding on a precise location. The breeze caught it, and Jobe was running around flying that tent almost like it was a kite, while still trying to find an acceptable spot.

So funny! Jobe was hilarious! So this is how guys with vast experience do it? SPHP laughed, but Jobe did get it all under control. He ultimately picked a little grassy ledge overlooking the stream running down from Two Bits Lake to Triskel Lake for his tent kite. Barely enough room for it. Jobe better not thrash around much in his sleep, or he’d be a goner.

Dinnertime! Always on the cutting edge, Jobe had fancy freeze-dried stuff to prepare. Thai something or other. Sort of spicy. While Jobe turned wilderness chef, Loop and SPHP wandered off looking for a place to pitch her tiny house, finally settling on a soft spot near a tarn over a little hill SE of Jobe’s abode.

Jobe scouting E of the stream between Two Bits Lake and Triskel Lake. Photo looks N.

**Triskel Lake** (L) and the stream running down to it (R). Photo looks SW.

Jobe’s comfy(?) perch (R of Lupe). Photo looks WSW.

Loopster’s tiny house. Home for the night. Photo looks NE.

The tarn near the tiny house, which is around the corner off the R edge. Photo looks SE.

After dinner, Jobe came looking for Loop and SPHP. Finally spotting the tiny house, he then provided entertainment with his commentary for more than half an hour. Good times! Well before sunset, Jobe was ready to hit the hay. SPHP knew Jobe was an early riser, and he’d had two long days in the mountains in a row, although today couldn’t have begun to compare with Mount Wood.

The sun was still well up when Jobe retired to his tent kite. A gorgeous evening! Even though Lupe and SPHP were both tired, too, there was something Loopster absolutely had to do. 7 years since the last time she’d seen Two Bits Lake, and it was only a short stroll away. Better go take a look!

**Two Bits Lake** and its outlet stream. Photo looks N.

More of **Two Bits Lake**. Photo looks NNE.

By the outlet stream that flows down to Triskel Lake. Photo looks SW.

This first day out had gone well, but then that was to be expected. Been this far before. The only thing that had worried SPHP at all to this point was what the outlet stream from Jasper Lake might be like, and it had turned out to be cake.

SPHP had convinced Jobe to take this Lupe route to Castle Mountain. It wasn’t the usual one, and it was important that it worked. Jobe had come a long way to get Castle Mountain done. Among other incredibly challenging peak lists, Jobe had been working the Western Contiguous USA County Highpoints list for many years. 414 peaks, and he was only missing a few! Mount Wood had been one of them. Now Castle needed to fall!

Tomorrow was going to be different, a journey into the unknown. Lupe had never been beyond Donelson Lake. To even make an attempt on Castle Mountain, Jobe would have to be able to get to Flat Rock Lake. From there, others had proven a route up Castle.

Only 2 mystery miles from Donelson Lake to Flat Rock Lake. The topo map didn’t look too bad. Would the Lupe route go? No guarantees. Anything could happen, but SPHP felt confident it would.

**Two Bits Lake**, Beartooth Mountains, Montana 8-7-20

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Castle Mountain, the Carbon County Montana High Point with Mountaineer Jobe Wymore – Part 2: Two Bits Lake to Flat Rock Lake (8-8-20)

The Journey to Two Bits Lake, Beartooth Mountains (7-12-13)

Sky Pilot Lake, Beartooth Mountains of Montana (7-17-13)

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacations to Wyoming, Utah & Montana Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Beauty & Becker Lakes, Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming (8-11-12)

Day 4 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast

The clouds were gone and the rain had stopped when Lupe woke SPHP up in the Honda Element. Despite having slept sitting up, SPHP felt pretty good. Lupe, of course, felt great. She’d slept very comfortably on a pile of pillows and blankets in the back of the Element. Lanis was still asleep in the driver’s seat getting his beauty rest.

Lupe and SPHP got out to greet the day, and take a look at the fabulous view of Pilot (11,699 ft.) and Index (11,240 ft.) Peaks from the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. Despite the cloudless sky, there was a haze in the air that kept the view from being as crisp as it might have been. Only days later did SPHP realize that the persistent haze was due to huge wildfires burning in Idaho.

Pilot (L) and Index (R) Peaks from the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone.

While Lanis continued getting 40 winks, Lupe and SPHP went across to the S side of the Beartooth Hwy and took a stroll up a very grassy little valley. Lupe was happy barking at squirrels in the forest along the edges of the valley.

Returning to the Element, Lupe and SPHP woke Lanis up. Time to get a move on! New adventures and explorations awaited! Lanis drove E on the Beartooth Highway. E of the junction with the St. Joseph Scenic Byway, the Beartooth Hwy wound up to an overlook with a view toward the huge canyon to the S.

Lanis at the overlook. Yes, that's Pilot and Index Peaks again in the distance on the R. — Lanis at the overlook. Yes, that’s Pilot and Index Peaks again in the distance on the R.

Looking S across the huge canyon that the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone flows through.

It turned out that in the few minutes Lanis and SPHP were admiring the view, Lupe had found another way to entertain herself. She was very industriously, though unsuccessfully thus far, trying to dig marmots out of their holes in the ground. It was hard work, but Lupe was pursuing it with great vigor and enthusiasm. SPHP had to hustle her into the Element before there was trouble.

Lanis drove on to the Top of the World Store. The Element was in need of fuel.

Looking WNW at Beartooth Butte from Hwy 212 at the Top of the World Store. — Looking WNW at **Beartooth Butte** **(10,514 ft.)** from Hwy 212 at the Top of the World Store.

The Top of the World Store along Beartooth Hwy No. 212.

Lupe waits while the Element gets fueled up.

Lanis props up the Top of the World Store sign. Or is it the other way around?

A little over a mile E of the Top of the World Store was a turn to the N to the Island Lake campground. Breakfast was enjoyed at a picnic ground overlooking Island Lake. At over 9,500 feet elevation, Island Lake was already in alpine territory. It was going to be a great starting point for Lupe’s first exploratory trek into the Beartooth Mountains.

Island Lake in the Beartooth Mountains. Photo looks NNW.

Cheerios and blueberries! Alpo for Lupe.

After breakfast, Lupe, Lanis, and SPHP took the Beartooth High Lakes trail heading N along the W side of Island Lake. There were gorgeous wildflowers everywhere. The trail was in good shape and easy to follow. There wasn’t much elevation gain or loss. Around each bend was another delightful scene of alpine splendor. The trail went past Island Lake, Night Sky Lake, and then a series of smaller lakes.

Looking N along the Beartooth High Lakes trail.

Lonesome Mountain looms in the distance beyond a pond in the Beartooth Mountains. Photo looks NNW.

After a while, the trail turned S and went down a hill to Beauty Lake. The intention hadn’t been to come here. Somewhere just upstream, SPHP had lost the Beartooth High Lakes trail and wound up on the Beauty Lake trail. It really didn’t matter. Lupe was on a first time exploration of the area. Everything was new and exciting no matter which way she went.

Beauty Lake was large, and looked deep compared to most of the other lakes Lupe had been by so far. It was in a very pretty setting. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP climbed up on a rocky knob along the NE side of the lake that provided a nice viewpoint. By now, it was time for a lunch break. Lupe played among the rocks and trees.

Soon it felt so warm out, SPHP considered taking a dip in the lake. The water felt pretty cold, though. Only Lupe was actually brave enough to enter the water. Even she just waded around close to the shore.

Don't tell me you're going to chicken out on me again, SPHP! The water is fine, really! You'll be numb soon enough! — Don’t tell me you’re going to chicken out on me again, SPHP! The water is fine, really! You’ll be numb soon enough!

Lupe wades around in the cold waters of Beauty Lake.

The only map of the area that Lanis and SPHP had was a very simple tourist map called “Wayfinding on the Beartooth All-American Road” that Lanis had picked up at a visitor center in Cooke City. It showed that the Beauty Lake trail would take Lupe back to the Beartooth Highway close to Beartooth Lake, which was miles from the Honda Element. SPHP didn’t want to go that way.

The map also showed that the Beartooth High Lakes trail continued NW across a stream near the N end of Beauty Lake. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went a short distance back N to where a very lovely stream flowed down to Beauty Lake. Searching for the Beartooth High Lakes trail on the other side of the stream revealed nothing. There were lots of beautiful wildflowers, but no continuation of the trail was in sight.

Not ready to give up, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP followed the stream for a little way up a small canyon. There were more rocks and wildflowers, but again, no trail was found. The going got progressively more difficult. Lanis had an exciting time chasing a water bottle he dropped in the creek back a considerable distance downstream before he was able to retrieve it.

The stream N of Beauty Lake. Photo looks S.

Lanis looking for the rest of the Beartooth High Lakes trail. Not really finding it. Lots of flowers blooming by the stream, though!

Lupe supposedly looking for the trail. SPHP suspects she was really looking for squirrels.

Lupe thought Lanis was just hilarious trying to catch that water bottle!

Hmm, maybe the tourist map wasn’t terribly accurate? Lupe, Lanis and SPHP left the stream, and followed the Beauty Lake trail farther back up the hill looking for a junction with the Beartooth High Lakes trail. As it turned out, there was a trail junction up there!

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP headed N on this new trail. None of them realized this wasn’t the Beartooth High Lakes trail either. Again it didn’t matter. The new trail was in good shape, and went into even more beautiful country!

The new trail soon headed N between Mutt & Jeff Lakes, which are very close together and connected by a stream that flows down to Mutt Lake (not pictured to the L of this photo). Jeff Lake is seen beyond Lanis. The trail continued across the rocks seen on the far side of Jeff Lake, and on up a hill through the gap to a little pass. In the pass there was a mucky pond and rocks to scramble around. Photo looks N.

The mucky little pond in the pass N of Jeff Lake. Photo looks S.

The new trail went N, passing by a couple of ponds. Then it went down a short hill to go between two lakes (Mutt & Jeff) that were very close together. A broad stream flowed gently between the lakes, and required some rock hopping to get across. Beyond the stream, the trail went across a boulder field on the NW side of Jeff Lake, before continuing up a hillside to a relatively low gap between mountains.

In the gap was a mucky pond and some boulders to work around. The trail then went gradually downhill. Before too long, there was a view of the S end of a gorgeous lake. Unknown to Lupe, Lanis and SPHP at the time, this was Becker Lake.

Becker Lake is a fairly large, long lake extending N/S. The S end is the largest, and tucked in against big rock walls and hills. The N end is narrower, and more out in the open. The trail did not go down to Becker Lake, but stayed well above it to the E. For a while, the trail went completely out of sight of the lake, but the lake eventually came into view again farther N.

Part of the S end of Becker Lake comes into view. Lonesome Mountain is seen in the distance on the R.

Lupe explores the forest near the trail.

This big tree scarred by lightning was near the trail.

Lanis' moss and lichens photo of the day! — Lanis’ moss and lichens photo of the day!

While out of sight of Becker Lake, the trail passed by the W shore of this little pond. Photo looks N.

Part of the high ridge to the E of Becker Lake.

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP followed the trail N past Becker Lake. The trail was now passing along the E side of a creek coming down through a broad grassy valley. A woman coming down the trail said this part of the trail was in Montana!

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP continued on a little way, but it was close to 5:00 PM now. It was soon time to turn around and head back to the Honda Element at Island Lake, before it got too late. Lupe’s route back included everything except the side trip to Beauty Lake again. She had a wonderful time sniffing and exploring the entire way back.

Going to Beauty and Becker Lakes was one of the most glorious days Lupe had ever spent in the mountains anywhere. This day was a real highlight of her 2012 Dingo Vacation!

Don't forget to sniff the air! — Don’t forget to sniff the air!

Going back down from the little pass toward Jeff Lake near the end of the day. Photo looks S.

Looking NNW back across Island Lake toward the high country where Lupe had such a great time in the Beartooths.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Lupe and SPHP returned on subsequent Dingo Vacations in 2013 & 2014 to explore farther into Montana N of Becker Lake. Click on the red links below to view Lupe’s other posts about this stunning part of the Beartooth Mountains:

The Journey to Two Bits Lake, Beartooth Mountains (7-12-13)

Sky Pilot Lake, Beartooth Mountains of Montana (7-17-13)

Lonesome Mountain in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana (8-3-14)

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s 2012 West Coast Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.